Little Dorrit (2008) Miniseries Review
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Here are my spoiler-free thoughts on the 2008 miniseries adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel, starring Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen, and Tom Courtenay. If you think this video sounds windy, that's because I didn't realize the fan was blowing straight toward the mic. :)
I love that someone is talking about this mini-series. I've never heard anyone talk about this and it is my fave period drama ever!
I told my son, that every now and then, in the midst of the garbage (sex, violence and slander movies), you happen upon a diamond such as this on Amazon Prime. I loved this miniseries!!
@elisabeth, yes, this tv-series is great and a very faithful adaptation of Dickens' great novel. I love the novel, but these days I prefer to re-watch the series now and then.
this is my favorite Dickens adaptation. the casting and acting was superb.
Go and read the book, Jerome! It's one of Dickens' best. My favorites are the last three finished novels, this, Bleak House, and Our Mutual Friend. This adaptation is remarkably close to the book. I was surprised at how many of the subplots that all come together in some way or other at the end are included. Usually in Dickens adaptations there is one minor subplot that I'm particularly fond of that gets left out or turned into a cameo. I agree about John Chivery. It's interesting to compare Dickens' take on the civil service bureaucracy with Anthony Trollope's writing about characters who work in the civil service (as of course he himself did for his whole working life). The Circumlocution Office is kind of like Chancery in Bleak House, only in a much less important role. Anyway, read it and then tell me what you think. :)
I think I caught whatever it was that was ailing you the past week because I had to take the day off work. It's a shame Little Dorrit isn't on Netflix. I could have watched it while I recovered. Nice review by the way. I look forward to more. :)
Oh no! That's too bad. I hope you feel better soon. It is available on Amazon Prime if that's an option for you. Thanks!
@@Weiselberry I do have Amazon Prime! I'll have to check it out this weekend when I get the chance. I've been spending most of the day watching Ken Burns' "The Vietnam War". It's well made but it isn't exactly chipper.
Do read the book, it's so great! I love the adaptation too.
I'm really looking forward to it!
I always like listening your reviews !!!!!!!
Thank you! :)
Hi Jerome. Excellent review, as always. I saw this miniseries some years ago and I absolutely loved it. I have the book, and after watching your review I decided I will finally buckle down and read it. Did you ever see the 1987 two-part movie starring Derek Jacobi, Alec Guinness, and Sarah Pickering? It was nominated for some Academy awards. I highly recommend the Jacobi version. It made quite an impression on me.
No, I still haven't watched the old adaptation. It's on the list though!
Yes - I remember spending the best part of a day at the South Bank watching the Christine Edzard version which was more or less split into two point of view narratives - Nobody's Fault (mainly Clannan) and Little Dorrit's Story (as one might expect). It's an interesting take which may well have been a poor idea but kind of works. They don't stick to the concept as rigidly as that makes it sound cos lets face it the denouement happens when it happens. Anyway both adaptations are on the shelves waiting another viewing.
The adaptation is so much better than the book. I love Dickens, but even his most ardent admirers would admit that he's not a very good romantic writer. But this adaptation really played up the romance. And that Claire Foy!!
I love your review - but you could've been more specific about the things you thought were implausible or different from the novel. Many of these implausibilities or hyperboles are already in the source material. Dickens isn't known for being subtle.
Yes, I agree--do read the book, if you haven't already. I don't recall anything in specific that wasn't directly or indirectly alluded to in the book. All that stuff revealed near the end was pretty much in the last quarter of the book. The only thing I remember is that Davies actually made some of the reveals simpler than Dickens (Arthur's background, his father's story and the Miss Wade subplot are ones I recall). For me it is the best love story in all of Dickens.
@@kathleencraine7335 , thanks for answering 😀
I love Dickens! But the ending his plots is often over-the-top and contrived.
Little Dorrit is also one of my favorite Dickens novels and I really like the love story of Arthur and Little Dorrit 😀 There's only one love story which I like better: the story of Dick Swiveller and the Marchioness from "The Old Curiosity Shop"! Since both of them aren't leading characters, the existing adaptations don't give them a lot of screen time. But it's very touching, and since the main character - Little Nell - dies at the end, Dickens might've thought that his readers need something uplifting 😉 But this narrative is remarkable because Dick Swiveller works for the bad guys when the novel starts. But he gradually changes because the cruel treatment of the little Marchioness touches him deeply.
Gah, I love Bleak house! I think I may like Little Dorrit a bit better though, although that may just be because I've seen it much more than Bleak House. Also for some reason I had no idea that Andy Serkis was the french man! Ha, you are totally right, it's quite a switch to see his face in something!
So we're like opposites: I've seen Bleak House many more times than Little Dorrit! :)
I still have a video we used when Andrew Serkis played the hero in The Rover by Aphra Behn back when we were studying the play. They also cast Daniel Craig as the light relief. Having seen the play on stage and enjoyed it I can honestly say the production was a compete disaster. But I did get to tear it apart in the exam. So that was fun of a sort.
Wonderful review!
Sadly, my tiny, small town Library does not have the dvd Little Dorrit. :( Your review really makes me want to watch this movie. Thank you.
Oh dear! Perhaps there's some other way you could watch it? I know it's currently available on Amazon Prime if that's a possibility for you. I don't know about any other streaming services.
I watched it recently. I liked Mr Sparkler, "There's no byegad nonsense about that girl." I thought Tom Courtney was rather good as Mr Dorrit. I recently bought a 2nd hand copy of Little Dorrit, one of six Dickens hardbacks for £10 - how good is that? I doubt I'll read it until next year, however.
Wow, that is a good deal!
Ha! Yes, Andy Serkis' performance is straight out of Monty Python.
Oh my god i loved this series i have it on dvd
I loved alun armstrong (one of my favorite actors) and alan serkis
Alun Armstrong's great! I especially love him as Inspector Bucket in Bleak House.
@@Weiselberry i should see that then.
He is always popping up in everything from blockbusters and british tv shows and even musicals like les miserables and he even played sweeney todd
where can I download it?
Have you read the book yet?